Device for use in polishing articles



April 1951 R. WHITEHEAD 2,550,630

' DEVICE FOR usa: IN POLISHING ARTICLES Filed March 28, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 24, 1951 R. WHITEHEAD 2,550,630

DEVICE FOR USE IN POLISHING ARTICLES Filed March 28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fibew W hir ma- I Inven ov:

Ap 1951 R. WHITEHEAD DEVICE FOR USE IN POLISHING ARTICLES Filed March 28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN lll Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR USE 'IN POLISHING ARTICLES Robert Whitehead, Wolverhampton, England, assignor to The Wolverhampton Die-Casting Company Limited, Wolverhampton, England, and Wilmot-Breeder 7 Limited, Birmingham,

England Application March 28, 1947, Serial No. 737,889 In Great Britain April 15, 1946 9 Claims.

The invention relates to polishing articles, and

1 has for its object to provide improved means for such purpose.

' I Ieretofore the polishing of small articles has usually been effected by holding such articles against affabric bob or mop rotated at a high speed and supplied with abrasive polishing compound.

Means according to this invention comprise a cylindrical container or drum provided on its inher periphery with means for attaching thereto articles required to be polished. Within the drum are placed pellets of material such as felt, rubber, wood or leather, together with an abrasive compound; and centrally mounted in the drum is a rotor having radial projections or beaters.

The articles are secured in relation to the inner surface of the drum with the surfaces more particularly required to be polished directed in' wardly. The drum is then closed and may be stationary or caused to rotate. The rotor is rtated, but at a higher speed; and this causes the projections on the rotor to receive the pellet and throw them, together with the abrasive compound, forcefully against the exposed surfaces of the articles whereby the polishing is effected. The pellets, after striking the articles, are carried round by the drum, if the drum is rotated, asis preferred.

An embodiment of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

'Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a plan view partly in section of the device shown in Figure l. v

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the drum and the parts within showing the bearing and a bevel wheel which drives the drum, and showing also the pulley driving the rotor, but omitting the rest of the device.

Figure 4 is an end view of the drum with its cover omitted.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, to an enlarged scale, to illustrate one of the carriers.

an inner casing which is a fit within the outer casing. It is closed at its outer end by a wall l3, but is open at its inner end. The wall I3 is extended radially to form a flange M to cover the outer end of the outer casing Ill. The flange has on its periphery lotted lugs I5 which are engaged by swivel bolts I6 pivoted on the periphery of the drum l0.

Secured to the outside of the wall I l is a bevel wheel I! integrally mounted on a sleeve l8 journalled in a bearing I 9 having integral with it two transverse sockets 20, a, embracing the inner z ends of two aligned shafts 30 and 30a. respectively journalled in bearings 2| of a frame 22. Secured to the outer end of the shaft 30a is a quadrant plate 22a which carries an electric motor 23. The quadrant plate has worm teeth 24 engaged by a worm 25 on a haft 26 journalled in a bearing 21 secured to the frame 22. The shaft 26 'is fitted with a hand wheel 28.

By turning the hand wheel 28 the quadrant plate is rocked together with the motor 23 and drum 9.

The bevel wheel I! engages with a bevel wheel 29 keyed on the shaft 30 fitted with a fixed pulley 3| by which it is driven at a relatively slow speed. 32 is the usual loose pulley.

The motor 23 has a pulley 33 which, by a belt 34, drives a pulley 35 on a shaft 36 which passes axially through the sleeve l8 and passes into the casing 10, where it carries a rotor 31 com-' prising a spider 38, to which is secured a drum 39. Secured to the outer surface of the drum are longitudinal heaters 40. The rotor 31 is driven at a relatively high speed by the motor 23.

The goods to be polished, shown in the draw: ings as motor car door handles 4|, are fitted on to brackets 42 secured to carriers 43 formed as shallow channels with end walls 44. see especially Figure 5. The one end wall of each tray has formed in it a hole to receive a tapered springs pressed dowel 45 mounted in a ring 46 secured to the inner surface of the casing l2 near its open inner end. The other end wall of each tray has a hole to receive a dowel 41 secured to the inner surface of the wall l3 of the casing I2.

To charge the drum 9, the bolts I6 are cast o f allowing the casing H to be drawn out from the casing Ill. The spring-pressed dowels can then be drawn back releasing the carriers 43 and thus allowing ready attachment, to the brackets 42, of the goods to be polished. The brackets will, of course, be formed to suit the particular goods to be polished. The carriers are replaced in the casing and the'latter is charged with pellets of felt or other material together with an abrasive compound. The casin 12 is then replaced in the casing l 0 and secured by the swivel bolts. l6 being engaged with the lugs I5.

The drum 9 and the rotor 37 are then rotated in the same direction or in opposite directions. The turning of the drum causes the pellets and abrasive material to fall on to the rotor 31 from which it is flung, at a-high speed, against the goods. 7 I

The polishing action is greatly assisted; by rocking the drum by the agency of the hand wheel 28.

Having fully described my invention whatl claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device, for polishing articles, and comprising a hollow cylindrical drum, a mass of pellets and abrasive material in said drum means for supporting said articles on saiddrum adjacent the inner periphery thereof, closing walls at the two ends on said drum at least one of said walls mounting said supporting means, a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections of said rotor and means for driving said rotor at a relatively high speed, whereby said pellets and abrasive material is forcefully projected against said articles by the action of said rotating projections.

2. A device, for polishing articles, and comprising a hollow cylindrical drum, means for attaching said articles to said drum adjacent the. inner periphery thereof, closing walls at the two ends of said drum, means securing saidattaching means to one of said end walls a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections on said rotor and means for driving said rotor at a relatively high speed whereby said projections throw pellets and abrasive ma terial forcefully against said articles, and means for driving said drum at a relatively low speed.

3. A device, for polishing articles, and comprising a hollow cylindrical drum, said drum constituted by an outer casing, an inner end wall of said outer casing, an inner casing fitting within said outer casing, an outer end wall of said inner casing, means for securing said inner casing within said outer casing, means for attaching said articles to the inner periphery of said inner casing, a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections of said rotor and means for driving said rotor at a relatively high speed whereby said projections throw pellets and abrasive material forcefully against said articles.

4. A device, for polishing articles, and comprising a hollow cylindrical drum, means for at taching said articles to the inner periphery of said drum, closing walls at the two ends of said drum, a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections of said rotor and means for driving said rotor at a relatively high speed whereby said projections throw pellets and abrasive material forcefully against said articles, and means for rocking said drum.

5. A device for polishing articles, and com prising a hollow cylindrical drum, said drum constituted by an outer casing, an inner end wall of said outer casing, an inner casing fitting Within said outer casing, an outer end wall of said inner casing, means for securing said inner casing within said outer casing, means for attaching said articles to the inner periphery of said inner casing, a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections on said rotor and means for driving said rotor at a relatively high speed whereby said projections throw pellets and abrasive material forcefully against said articles, said outer end wall of said inner casing being extended radially to form a flange to cover the outer end of the said outer cas- 6. A device, for polishing articles, and comprising a hollow cylindrical drum, said drum constituted by an outer casing, an inner end wall of said outer casing, an inner casing fitting within said outer casing, an outer end wall of said inner casing, means for securing said innercasing within said outer casing, means for attaching said articles to the inner periphery of said inner casing, a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections of said rotor and means for driving said rotor at a relatively high speed whereby said projections throw pellets and abrasive material forcefully against said articles, said outer end wall of said inner casing being extended radially to form a flange to cover the outer end of the said outer casing, slotted radially extending lugs of said flange and swivel bolts pivotally secured on the periphery of said outer casing adapted to engage with said lugs.

7. A device, for polishing articles, and comprising a hollow cylindrical drum, means for supporting said articles on said drum adjacent the inner periphery thereof, closing walls at the two ends of said drum, one of which mounts the end of the drum and is removable from the drum with said supporting means a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections of said rotor, a shaft of said rotor passing out through the inner end of said drum, an electric motor for driving said shaft at a relatively high speed whereby said projections throw pellets and abrasive material forcefully against said articles.

8. A device, for polishing articles, and comprising a hollow cylindrical drum, means for at: taching said articles to theinner periphery of said drum, closing walls at the two ends of said drum, a rotor axially mounted in said drum, radially disposed projections of said rotor and means for driving said rotor at a relatively high speed whereby said projections throw pellets and abrasive material forcefully against said articles, a fixed frame of the device, a bearing supporting said drum, a transverse support pivotally mounted in said frame. and carrying said bearing, a quadrant plate secured to said support, teeth of said quadrant plate, a rotatable member engaging said teeth, a shaft carrying a worm, engaging said teeth and being turnably mounted in a bearing of said frame and means for turning said shaft to rock said quadrant and hence to rock said drum. v

9. A device for polishing articles comprising a hollow cylindrical drum having inner and outer end walls, means for supporting articles adjacent the inner peripheries of the drum, a rotor axially mounted in said drum, driving means for said rotor including a first bevel wheel secured centrally on the outer surface of one of said walls, a second bevel wheel engaging said first bevel wheel, a transverse shaft driving said second bevel wheel, and means for driving said shaft.

ROBERT WHITEHEAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 469,642 Nehr Feb. 23, 1892 1,178,827 Spellman Apr. 11, 1916 1,537,520 Abbott May 12, '1925 2,330,949 Braun Oct. 5, 1943 2,480,238 Hammond et al Aug. 30, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 71,824 Germany Jan. 7, 1893 472,246 Great Britain Sept. 20, 1937 

